Multiple tube tire and indicator



Obi. 15, 1935; s. LIBO MULTIPLE TUBE TIRE AND INDICATOR I uau my);

Illlllllllll llllllllllllllllll MULTIPLE TUBE TIRE AND INDICATOR FiledOct. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I i -1" g 51 33 W ATTO R N EY PatentedOct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,011,;14 fi fi fisflApplication October 27, 1933, Serial No. 695,528

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a new kind of pneumaticinner tube combined with a device, which will lose only a small fractionof its air pressure when punctured, blown out 5, or otherwise damaged;iurtherto afford a comparatively smooth easy driving on, although apuncture, blowout or other similar damage has I occurred to the innertube, thereby avoiding the great dangers and risks 01 total blowouts inthe present used inner tubes, and the dangers and the disagreeable testof repairing-or changing an inner tube when on a street or road as anypuncture or blowout which might occur, will cause only a slightflattening of the inner tube or the outer casing respectively, and willnot be sufllcient to prevent the tire acting properly, until the machinemay have been driven to a convenient place, where a new inner tube maybe inserted or the old one repaired.

One improvement of my invention is, to provide an inner tube with aplurality of cells (chembers). If one of the cells becomes pimctured orotherwise damaged sothat the cell loses its air pressure, the oppositepartition walls of the .cell

will instantly close up the gap. v

A further improvement of my invention is, that each cell has itsown-individual hose (air passage) but the inflation of all cells issimultaneously accomplished by a device in conjunction with a valveoutfit.

A further improvement is, that all hoses (air passages) are built into asingle collar (neck), but the openings of the hoses (air passages) insame are kept separate. A further improvement of my invention is anarrangement on the device in conjunction with the pneumatic inner tube,which automatically indicates if a cell has become punctured, blown outor otherwise damaged, so that the cell lost its air pressure.

Another improvement of my invention is a consecutive numberingarrangement, which indicates precisely and immediately if, and whichspecific cell or cells have become punctured, blown out or otherwisedamaged and lost their air pressure.

A further improvement of my invention, is the simple manner of closingup of a hose-opening a the cells (chambers) would find suiiicient roomto expand and lose its force without damaging or rupturing theoutercasing.

The form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a sectionalside elevation of a tire provided with my 5improvement, showingthe pneumatic inner tube with the arrangement of thesemi-ellipsed shaped partition walls and showing in dotted lines wheresome of the hoses (air passages) commence from the cells. 10

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing one cell (chamber) punctured orotherwise damaged with no air pressure, and the resulting gap closed upby the two opposite semi-elliptical shaped partition walls through-theair pressure forced on same 15 partition walls by the opposite andadjacent cells.

Fig. 3 is part of a cross section of the inner tube, tire and rim.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the device in con-. jimcti'oh with thepneumatic inner tube and showing part of the inner tube. r

Fig. 5 is a sectional view 01 a metal tube with inserted rubber tube.

' Fig. 6 is a view of the device looking downwards from the top, withdustcap, washers and screwnut 25 around the casing removed.

Fig. 7 is a view of how the lower disc in the casing is kept in place toavoid any sideway movements.

Fig. 8 is a view of a plugscrew inserted in the 30 lower disc, and ametal tube with aclosed head over it and screwed into the upper disc.(This special plugscrew and closed end metal tube are used only in caseswhere a puncture to a cell has occurred, and more air pressure is wanted35 in the other cells, without repairing the punctured one.

Considering the drawings in detail, I in Fig. 1 is the pneumatic innertube for. tires into which are built in a plurality of semi-elliptical(or 40 semi-circular or like) shaped partition walls 2, which formequally sized cells (chambers) 3, with hoses (air passages) 4, leadinginto said cells. Each of these hoses (air passages) continuous on theinner circle of the inner tube in the thickened bed 5 formed, as shownin Figure 3. All hoses (air passages) lead also and are built into acommon circular'collar (neck) I, but each hose has its opening keptseparately on top 01' collar .be about 4" long. r 11' one cell becomespunctured or otherwise'damaged, so that the cell lost its air pressure,the air pressure in the remaining cells will cause a certain endwiseexpansion (movement) of the partition walls, and especially the airpressure on the center of the semi-elliptical shaped partition wallsopposite of the damaged cell will facilitate and immediately tend toclose up the gap 9, (the cell without airpressure) as shown in Fig. 2;this closing of the gap being also partly due, to the weight imposed onthe tire, thereby tending to flatten the tire, the inner tube and thenot punctured cells respectively.

' If a greater amount of cells is desired, the number of hoses (airpassages) etc. must also be increased correspondingly.

In the center of the collar (neck) 1, a bolt II is provided which hasadjacent to its head a square part l3. Said .head of bolt is embedded ina suitable manner in the inner tube and collar respectively, as shown inFig. 4. Four screws I6- are provided to hold in place the projections 20forming obtuse angles 2 l and the casing 23 when the screwnuts 24 areapplied. Any other suitable similar way may be employed to hold thecircular casing firmly in place to the inner tube. Where "the thickenedbed 5 of the inner tube leads into the circular casing 23, openings 21are provided on opposite sides on the circular casing between the lowerextension of same to let the thickened bed pass into the circularcasing, where it meets and is incorporated in the collar (neck). Thecollar which is formed by the hoses, inner tube and thickened bed, restson its outer diameter on the circular projection 29 on the inside ofcasing 23, and on its'inner diameter on the underside of the head ofbolt II. p

- Around bolt H, a disc 30 is provided, which rests on top of collar 1.Same disc has an identical amount of threaded hole openings.3|, endingin lips 32, these lips fitting tightly into the hose openings on top ofcollar I. Said disc further extends from its inner bottom diameter 33,first vertical 34, then horizontal 35, and fits around the square partl3 adjacent to the underprojections 40 of easing 23 seat into, as shownin Figures 4 and 7.

The previously mentioned cutout. (notch) on the bottom of the outerdiameter of disc 30, and the projections 40 on the casing, inconjunction with the vertical and horizontal extension on the bottom ofthe inner diameter of disc 30 fitting around the square part I 3, ofbolt are for the purpose, so after 'disc 30 is screwed down by nut 36,disc 30 and bolt will be preventedfrom turning sideways. I

Over the previously mentioned disc 30, there is another disc 4| with anidentical arrangement of threaded hole openings 42, but larger diameter,

as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 8, and in addition there is an opening 43,over and on which a suitable complete valve outfit 44, is provided. An-

be provided on the same principle.

bottom projection (flange) 49 of a tubular screw 58. This flange on thetubular screw fits loosely into the mentioned lugs on top of disc 4|.The previously mentioned tubular screw has a closed hexagon head 5|, anda knurled part 52 on the cir- 5 cular projection 53 to facilitatescrewing by hand or suitable tool. When tubular screw is placed aroundthread 54 of bolt II and screwed downward or upward, the arrangement ofthe lugs 48 on top of disc fill, in which the flange 49 of the tubularscrew moves freely. and in conjunction with the vertical extension 55 onbottom of same disc, which fits closely around the square part 56 ofbolt II, will prevent sideway turning of disc 4|. In the depression onthe inside diameter 0! disc 4|, a packing 58 is provided, which closesup airtight the space between the inner diameter of disc 4| and bolt II.In the depression 59 on the outside of disc 4|, a packing 60 isprovided, which closes up airtight the space between the outer 20diameter of disc 4| and circular casing 23.

A packing 6| is provided on top of disc 30, which fits around theopenings on same disc, and this packing being kept in place bycountersunked screws 62. I 25 The threaded openings in disc 30 and disc4| are all spaced in a uniform arrangement, as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

Tubes 64 have on their lower end 65 a thread 66, which engages thethreaded openings 42 in disc 30 4|. Adjacent to the upper end of thread66, the previously mentioned tubes are provided with a small projection61, which is to rest firmly and airtight if the tubes are screwed downon top of' the beforehand placed washers 68, which fit 36 around theopenings on top of disc 4|.

' The previously mentioned tubes 64 have an of!- set 69 towards theinside above projection 61, and another offset towards the inside 10near their top 1|. The top 12 is square to allow screw- 40 When airpressure is provided in the inner 50' tube, the thin portion 11 of therubber tube will expand upward until the thickened solid offset 18 ofthe rubber tube contacts the inside oil? set'10 of the metaltube 64.Having thereby forced the rubber stick well above the top of 65 tube 64,which top is provided with an opening 19 for letting pass through thepreviously mentioned rubber stick, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5.Any .other similar suitable method can The casing 23 is placed throughthe opening (porthole) of a suitable rim 3|. The rim may be reinforcedaround the opening (porthole), or widened, or both, as the opening(porthole) in the rim will have a greater diameter, as the open- 65 ings(portholes) in the rims tor the present valves, v

and the casing 23 kept securely in place by a nut screw 82, which fitsover the outside thread 83 on casing 23. said nut is screwed down on topof a suitable washer l4 placed on the rim. The tour obtuse angles 2| onthe casing 23 are provided to give resistance when nut 82' is'appliedover casing, thereby'eflecting a tightening of the casing as well as theinner tube to the rim. typeotoutside tire casings u may 15' providedwith transparent material 88 in order to avoid a screwing off, of thedust cap when checking the end pieces (sticks) it of the rubber tubes,is rovided over casing 23; the lower end of the dust cap resting firmlyon a suitable washer 89, which is provided on top of nut 82.

An outside threaded ring at is provided with four vertical projections(lugs) 92 to facilitate the screwing by hand or suitable tool. This ringis for bringing to a check disc at when tubular screw is turned upward,so bottom oi disc M will clear top of washer 59.

In the depressed space on top of disc M in between the lugs 68 asuitable washer or packing 93 is provided.

To inflate the inner tube, the hose of an air pressure system or a handpump is placed in the usual manner over valve t6; the same usual wayapplies for the taking of air pressure by a gauge, but before letting inthe air pressure, or the taking of air pressure by gauge, the tubularscrew has to be turnedupward until the bottom of disc di will clear thepacking 6 I, as will be noted on Fig. 4. After the inner tube isinflated and the tubular screw is screwed down firm on top of packing 6|all the outer circles of the threaded openings 42 on bottom of disc at,encircle airtight all the threaded openings 3| on top of packing 6| ofdisc 30, thereby creating not only a free air pressure passage betweenthe identical cells in the inner tube and the small rubber tubes 13provided in tubes 64, but simultaneously also prevent an interchange ofair pressure either between the cells, or between the small rubbertubes. This is of utmost importance and one of the main features of myinvention, as it affords an easy identification at the end of the rubbersticks 16, as any stick whose corresponding cell or cells have becomepunctured, blown out or otherwise damaged so that they lost their airpressure, will descend flush to the top H of the tubes 64, as shown inFig. 5.

If the case should be that the stick on the rubber tube in one of themetal tubes indicate, that a cell became punctured. blown out orotherwise lost its air pressure, the tube it and the inserted rubbertube 13 of the concerned one can be removed, and the concerned hoseopening (air passage), respectively the opening in disc 30 can be closedup airtight by a plug screw at, which is screwed down on the threadedopening 3| of disc 30 until the projection 98 of the plug screw restsfirmly on top oi pacmng 66. This plug screw is of a length to reach wellabove the top of disc dl when same is turned upward to clear with itsbottom the top of packing 6|. The removed tube St is then replaced bytube fit, which has a closed square head; this tube being of a length.and diameter to facilitate the placing over the previously mentionedplug screw, and being screwed down until the projection 81 rests firmlyon washer B8 and an airtight closure is effected. Tube M and tube 95 andplug screw 91 are all provided with the same sized square head, so anysingle key will fit any one of them. After the previously mentioned plugscrew for the opening in disc 30, and the closed tube 9% leading to thepunctured or otherwise damaged cell are in place, the inner tube (thenot damaged cells) it wanted can be more inflated by turning the tubularscrew upward, so that the bottom of disc M will clear the top of packing6i, and

no air pressure is lost through the punctured or otherwise damaged cellor cells, as shown in Fit. 8.

If the sticks of the rubber tubes indicate that all cells in the innertube are in good order, but more inflation is wanted; the tubular screw50 10 has to be turned upward to obtain sumcient clearance between thebottom of disc ti and packing ti, and the hose of an air pressure systemor a hand pump placed over the valve M in the usual manner.

The cells of the inner tube are provided on the outside with consecutivenumbers, like i, 2, 3 etc., and identical numbers are provided on top ofdisc d8 near the corresponding (specific) threaded openings, to conformwith the specific cells, so for instance, the threaded opening numbered(J in the upper disc M (where the metal tubes are screwed in) leads tothe cell in the inner tube numbered i; the threaded opening in the upperdisc (ti) numbered 2, leads to the cell in the inner tube numbered 2,and so on. This identical numerical arrangement on the outside of l thecells of the inner tube and on top of disc 6 8, gives at a glance theparticular cell or cells punctured or otherwise damaged.

Various changes or alterations in the details of my invention willreadily suggest themselves, and I do not limit my invention to thosedetails herein shown and described but hold that I may make suchalterations or changes as shall fairly 5 fall within the scope of thespecification and the appended claims therein as I deem necessary to thesuccessful practice of my invention. For instance the number of tubesmounted on the movable disc may be changed as desired, it being 40simply necessary that there be a plurality, or more than one.

What I claim is:

1. In an inflating unit for pneumatic tires or inner tubes with aplurality of compartments the unit comprised of a casing, a perforatedstationary disc, a perforated vertically movable disc, having anairtight enclosure moving on a screwbolt by means of an elongated nut, avalve mounted on such vertical movable disc for indating and deflatingthrough feed lines all compartments simultaneously, metal tubes withsuitably inserted rubber tubes ending in a solid end mounted on suchmovable disc for each compartment, the rubber tubes inside the metaltubes directly communicating through feed lines with the respectivecompartments in the pneumatic tire or inner tube, whenthe two discs arelocked together in airtight relation and giving a signal if itsrespective compartment in the pneu- 0 matic tire or inner tube isinflatedby forcing the solid endstick of the rubber tube upward, thelocation of a puncture in the pneumatic tire or inner tube beingidentified by having the compartments in the pneumatic tire or innertube, or 55 both and their respective communicating rubber tubes insidethe metal tubes numbered correspo'ndingly.

2. In an inflating unit for pneumatic tires or inner tubes with aplurality of compartments, the 7 unit comprised of a casing enclosingairtight a stationary disc a vertically movable disc moving on ascrewbolt, and insuch vertically movable disc means by which anelongated nut rotates, and the elongated nut engaging a'thread on the 7movable disc for inflating the compartments simultaneously, metal tubeswithsuitably inserted rubber tubes with a solid endpiece for each com--partment mounted on such vertically movabledisc; the inside of therubber tubes havingdirect communication with their respective compart-'ments in the pneumatic: tire or inner tube when the two discs are lockedtogether in airtightrev lation and signaling if Lthe respective.compart-: ments in rth'epneumatic tire or inner.v tube are inflated ordeflated by forcing the endof' the rubber tube-upward or letting it downas the case maybe, the respective compartments identified by acorresponding numbering arrangement of the compartments with the rubbertubes inside the metal tub'es.

3. In an inflating unit for pneumatic tires or inner tubes with aplurality of compartments, the

unit comprisedof a casing which encloses a stationary disc,:.avertically movable disc having an airtight enclosure mounted on. a belt,a valve for inflating all compartmentssimultaneously, a pluralityvof:metal tubes mounted on the movable disc, with suitably inserted rubbertubes ending in a-solid-stick-mounted on the movable disc; the rubbertubes inside the metal tubes having direct- 1y communication throughfeedlines with the respective compartments'in the pneumatic tire orinner'tube when the two discs arelocked together in airtight relation,thereby preventing an interchangeofair pressure and giving a. signal ifits respective-c0mpartment in the pneumatic tire or inner tube has airpressureby forcing the solid endstick of the rubber tube through anopening in the top of the metal tube.

's msmmn mo.

